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2 sisters in their 60s found dead in Tokyo apartment

20 Comments

The bodies of two sisters in their 6os have been found dead in their apartment in Tokyo, police said Saturday, adding that they appear to have died two to three months ago.

One of the sisters, who was wheelchair-bound, was found in the bathtub, while her sibling was found in the kitchen of their apartment in Toshima Ward at around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Sankei Shimbun reported.

According to welfare officials, the two sisters had been living in the apartment for about 15 years. They were last seen at the ward office in February.

Police believe the able-bodied sister who was looking after her sibling died first, leaving her physically disabled sister unable to get out of the bathtub and call for help or look after herself. There were no signs of external injury on either body.

The corpses, which had decayed, were found after the building manager contacted police and expressed concern that he hadn’t seen them in awhile.

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20 Comments
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Such a sad event

18 ( +20 / -2 )

Makes me wonder about their families. Maybe they only had each other. Sad situation.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

And where were the people from the ward office? There are far too many cases like these, and the folks in the ward offices keep their butts in their chairs instead of putting their feet on the ground and look out for these elderly who live in circumstances like this.

Why wasnt the disable sister going to daycare services? Countless numbers of hospital daycare services have assisted bath service as well, and there is no need for the other sister to have to bathe her sibling.

The ward office should take some responsibility for this, but they wont!

-11 ( +7 / -18 )

"these elderly?" They were only in their 60s. Possibly not even eligible for pension yet.

I think my neighbours and I would notice if one of us suddenly didn't appear in the lane for two days in a row. At least most houses. There is one non-social one, where something like this could happen, but despite efforts to engage, that person wants to be left alone, so what can we do but respect that. The 2011 earthquake/tsunami changed my neighbourhood for the better - more sense of community. I hope this time of isolation encourages more people to interact with their neighbours if future.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Makes me wonder about their families

Family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, welfare officials.

It’s very sad that only the building manager expressed any concern over these 2 ladies. Even then, maybe that initially came from non payment of rent, rather than an actual personal concern.

Its just incredibly sad. Keep an eye on your neighbors - even if you don’t really know them.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

They were only in their 60s. Possibly not even eligible for pension yet.

If one was disabled, odds are pretty damn high that she was already receiving benefits from the government.

Also it is possible to receive pension benefits at 60 as well, not to mention that if she was 63, she would have been receiving full benefits. People born in 1963 or later, have to wait to 65 for full benefits, but partial is available before that as well

0 ( +5 / -5 )

There are many cases like this that happen across the country everyday that don't see the press or media and just because they are not in the press like this one doesn't mean there are not happening.

I don't understand why anyone would be downvoting Yubaru for what he wrote which is spot on.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

lack of care in the community and terrible social services !

what a sad country Japan has become.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

rip. sad

2 ( +3 / -1 )

what a sad country Japan has become.

Pray tell when was it any different?

Wake up, Japan has been this way for decades, it's just now YOU are finding out about it, that's all!

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

That's so sad!!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Japan does not have a tradition of volunteers and donations. I am always impressed by Americans about it. There is no community activities helping each other in Japan. Also, I do not hear super riches in Japan offer donation to help the poor. Japanese government tax the money they donate.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I wonder how the building manager will cope? My friends father found a body hanging from a tree while jogging 5 years ago. He still has nightmares and doesn’t enter that park.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

HBJ so I should care about my neighbors who don't make eye contact or even say hello?

Sure why not.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Sadly cases like this are a daily occurrence, this happens anywhere to an extend obviously, but here there is not much for people & old folk type homes are expensive & downright depressingly sterile environments.

So I ask my age old question do you wanna grow old in Japan, I am NOT looking forward to it, it doesn't end well for most, quite the opposite

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@vanityofvanities

Japan does not have a tradition of volunteers and donations. I am always impressed by Americans about it. There is no community activities helping each other in Japan. Also, I do not hear super riches in Japan offer donation to help the poor. Japanese government tax the money they donate.

Taking care of the ones who need it should never depend only on donations or volunteers. That's exactly what taxes are for, why they are necessary, and for the good. And that's why it's a big thing in the US, as so many struggle with e.g. health care insurances there. As I'm Scandinavian, from a country with very high tax levels, I can suggest you check what's been done there. High taxes = good health care, good social care, free schools, free libraries, safe parks, public transport etc.

...as for taking care of one's neighbours; It's of course a lovely, good-hearted idea, but it really depends on where you live. In very big apartment complexes it can be very difficult to tell who your neighbours are, where everyone lives, who is who, etc. You seldom see anyone in the corridors, when you go down or up with the elevator - naturally, nobody wants to hang around in the dark, narrow corridors. If you see someone, it may be from a distance, and there's no telling where they live, or who they are.

In the more rural areas it's common and normal to go and introduce yourself to your new neighbours, but a rare thing to do in big Tokyo apt. buildings. It would be great if there were more communal spaces and communal activities for people living in the same building (bbq for everyone, spring cleaning for everyone, etc.), but - there's nothing really. Everybody just minds their own business. Sadly.

RIP for the two ladies (who, btw, were not elderly).

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Sadly, this is quite typical in Tokyo. I’m sure one of the main reasons for Japan’s low corvid-19 cases is the natural self distancing that occurs when hardly anyone talks to neighbors, shop workers, delivery persons or anyone else!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

HBJ so I should care about my neighbors who don't make eye contact or even say hello? 

Sure why not.

I said ‘keep an eye on your neighbors - even if you don’t really know them’. I think that’s a bit different from actually ‘caring about them’.

If you genuinely wouldn’t care if your neighbors were dead in their home, or if they were collapsed on the balcony just because they don’t make eye contact or say hello to you - then maybe you need to rethink things a bit.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

HBJ you're right, the corpses would rot and it would be pretty smelly. I'm happy you have really friendly neighbors who love you.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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